Samuel mirfield



v(No Model.)

S. YlvIIRFIIELlD.

THILL GOUPLING.

No. 476,758. Patented June 7, 1892.

NITED [STATES ATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL MIRFIELD, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WVM. HEVVES OLIPI-IANT, OF SAME PLACE.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,7 58, dated June *7, 1892. Application filed October 20. 1891. Serial No. 409,312. (No model.) Patented in Canada November Z, 1891, No. 37.710.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MIRFIELD, manufacturer, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings, (for which Letters Patent have been granted in the Dominion of Canada, dated November 2, 1891, No. 37,710,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is, first, to de sign a thill-coupling of such construction that it will be absolutelyimpossible for the shafts when in use to become disengaged from the couplings; secondly, to so construct the thillcoupling that the shafts when not in use can only be taken out by removing the adjustable portion of the coupling and depressing and raising the shaft to certain angles, and, thirdly, to providea means whereby the thill iron is so secured in position that the wear is completely taken up and the rattling at the joint prevented; and it consists, essentially, first, of a thill-coupling the thill-plate of which is clipped to the under side of the fore axle, and has a forward, upward, and rearward extension, forming a recess with a concave bottom, into which the end bar of the loop of the thill-iron is inserted and held, and, secondly and thirdly, in providing a block with a concaved under side to rest upon the round end bar of the loop, which block is held to press tightly against the top of the round end bar by a set-screw, the end of which projects into a cavity made in the top of the block, as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the relative position of the axle, thill-coupling, and shaft When in use in full lines and the position the shafts have to assume in order to be removed from the couplings in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partially broken away so as to show the construction of my thill-coupling. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section through the thill-coupling.

A is the thill-plate, which is recessed at the rear portion b, so as to receive the bottom of the front axle, to which it is attached by the clipped bolt B. The thill-plate A has a forward, upward, and rearward projection a a', which forms a recess O, the bottom of which is concaved beneath the top surface of the plate A, as more particularly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

D is the thill-iron, which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the end of the shaft E. It will be noticed that the loop end D is formed at an angle to the portion of the thilliron D ,which is secured to the shaft.

d is the end bar of the loop D. The end bar CZ is preferably made round or circular in erosssection and fits into the concave bottom c of the recess C.

F is a block having a concave under portion f.

G is a set-screw, which extends through the rearward projection a. W'hen the setscrew is screwed home, its bottom end extends into a cavity g, made in the block F, where the setscrew is held from loosening by the jam-nut H. Vhen the block F is held in position over the round end (l of the loop D of the thilliron by the set-screw Gr, the bearing of the thill-iron is held so tightly that in practice I find there is no danger of rattling. It will be seen on reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that the outer projection f', formed at the outer side of the concave bottom f of the block F, extends below the top of the side bar D of the thilliron D. It will consequently be understood that when the thill-iron and shafts are in the position shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 it will be impossible for the block F to spring out of position, as the projection f extends below the level of the top of the side bar D` of the loop D. Should the set-screw by any possibility become loose and the block F relieved from its pressure, there is not sufficient space between the top of the block F and the bottom of the rearward projection d to permit of the block rising sufficiently to spring out of position. It will thus be seen that if the horse is in the shafts it is impossible under any circumstances for the block to spring out of position and the thill-iron to become disengaged. The only method by which the shafts may be removed from their couplings is by first depressing the shaft, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, so that the top edge of the side bar D of the loop D is below the bottom of the projection f', when by loosening the set-screw G the block F may then be removed. Then by raising theshaft so that it assumes the position shown by the upper dotted lines in Fig. l and removing the setscrew G and jam-nut H the round end CZ of the loop D may be raised out of the recess c, and then the shafts may be pushed back sufficiently far and then slightly raised so as to bring the round end d of the loop D out between the clipped bolt and the rearwardlyprojecting end a. In doing this care must be taken so that the outer end of the loop D is raised sufficiently high so as to clear the upwardly and rearwardly projections a a. It will of course be seen that the reverse method will be employed in order to insert the thilliron in position again.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to use a hook for the reception of the thill-iron and a block and set-screw to connect the said end of the thill-iron in position; but I am not aware of any device similar to that described in detail in this specification in which the setscrew extends through the rearwardly-projecting portion of the thill-plate, so as to connect the block in position; nor are there any devices that I know of in which the lthillcoupling is kept so intact as in the combination above described in detail.

I wish it to be understood that I lay particular stress upon the thill-iron with the loop end formed at an angle to the portion of the thilliron which is secured to the shaft, as by this means I am enabled to withdraw the block by merelyletting the shaft rest on the ground,

for if the thill-iron was not so constructed I would have to raise the body of the carriage or buggy in order to withdraw the block. I may also mention that should the block by any possibility get worn and the set-screw become loose, so as to allow the worn block to get out of position when the horse is in the shafts, it would still be impossible for the thill-iron to become disengaged from the thillplate on account of the peculiar construction before described.

Vthat I claim as my invention isl. In a thill-coupling, the combination of the thill-plate having a forward, upward, and rearward projection, and a concave recess formed beneath the rearward projection, the round end bar of theloop of the thill-iron fitting into the same and held in position by a block with a concave bottom f and forward projection f', which extends below the top edge of the side bar D and end loop of the thill-iron when the shaft is in its normal position, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the thill-plate having a forward, upward, and rearward projection, a concave recess formed beneath the rearward projection, the round end bar of the loop of the thill-iron fitting into the same and held in position by a block with a concave bottom f and forward projection f', which extends below the top edge of the side bar D, and the set-screw G, placed in the rearward projection a and so adjusted as to exert a pressure on the block F, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the thill-plate having a forward, upward, and rearward projection, the recess beneath the rearward proj ection a', the thill-iron D, having aloop Dwith round end bar d, and t-he block F, having a concave bottomf and cavityin the top of the block for the reception of the end of the setscrew G, which extends through the rearward projection a so as to exert a pressure upon the block in said cavity, as and for the purpose specified.

4. rlhe thill-plate A,having a forward, upward, and rearward projection a', the recess c beneath the rearward projection a', and the block F, having a concave bottom f and a cavity in the top of the block for the reception of the set-screw g, which extends through the rearward projections a', in combinationv with the thill-iron D, having a loop D', extending at an angle to that portion of the thill-iron by which it is secured to the end shaft, as specified.

SAMUEL MIRFIELD.

Vitnesses:

LEwIs P. ABELL, BLANCHE BOYD. 

